To Live
by Arthur97
Summary: Pyra had set out with one goal, but...was that really the only option?
1. Chapter 1

Pyra laughed at Rex's attempt at humor. Despite Mythra's awkward bout of sleep walking and embarrassed reaction, Rex was still fortunately in a good mood. He even insisted that he was fine even though she still had the headache from where that book had smacked him upside the head. The splitting headache did make her a bit perturbed with her sister herself.

Mythra had apologized to her and she had passed on her apology to Rex, but she still felt bad about it. She saw it as just another injury he had sustained because of her, though her sister groaned from inside of her head. Even she thought that overreacting a little. It was a bump on the head; nothing serious.

However, more than that, it was embarrassing for the both of them. Mythra overreacted, and she knew it. Pyra felt embarrassed by her sister's overreaction. Perhaps she should not have, but she did nonetheless.

"Pyra?" Rex waved his hand in front of her face, "Are you okay? You kind of zoned out there for a bit."

"Oh, sorry," Pyra hid her face in her cup, "I must have gotten lost in thought."

"No worries," The salvager laughed it off, "I'm just glad we cleared that all up. I'd hate for something like that to come between us."

"O-oh! You're sweet. You mean a lot to me as well." After a slight delay, Pyra realized what she had said and her face began to mimic her hair.

_Nice one_, Mythra sarcastically spoke in her head. The older Aegis found her sister's struggles somewhat entertaining, but also troubling. While Pyra had been granted Mythra's memories from the time she was awakened to the time of Pyra's creation, they did not share new memories even if they were essentially present for almost all the same stuff unless one was sleeping or simply not paying attention. That meant that Mythra did not know what Pyra was feeling unless she told her or Mythra deduced it.

Mythra was really starting to get suspicious of her sister as well. While she maintained that she was just being friendly and Mythra was willing to accept that she was simply socially awkward, the blonde was becoming concerned that Pyra was getting too attached to the kid.

"That's good to hear!" His smile was almost infectious. Seriously, how could one boy be so...happy all the time? It both annoyed and awed Mythra. In truth, she really did not want to extinguish that flame of optimism. Pyra likewise wanted to protect that innocence, but she was also drawn to it. Moreso than her sister.

Almost all of her experience with the world came second hand from Mythra. Thoughts of war and despair comprised most of what she knew of life. Now, however, she was faced with something entirely different. Friends who made her laugh and cared about her. A driver who treated her as a person first and trusted her implicitly. Even when she would not tell him everything.

She felt bad about that. She felt like they were taking advantage of his trust, and they were. She did not like the idea of that from the beginning, but as she got to know him better, she outright hated it. He deserved better. How would he react when he found out that she had used him simply so she could die? Should she try to go on her own? DId she have to use him like this?

"Well," Rex rose from his seat still wearing a massive smile on his face, "We had better get going if we don't want to miss our flight."

"Right," Pyra nodded, "We don't want to deny Nia her window seat."

Rex chuckled and they were off.

_You shouldn't get too attached to him, you know_, Mythra warned as Pyra ascended the stairs up to the flight deck.

_I know_, Pyra sighed lightly so that Rex would not hear, _But that doesn't mean I have to ignore him, or be mean to him._

_I know,_ Mythra shot back clearly not happy with her own outbursts being brought up, _He's a good kid. All the more reason we should keep our distance. Nothing good comes from being around us. Even if we do succeed and he isn't hurt physically, getting close will just make what we have to do all that much harder. For both of you._

_ I know,_ Pyra held her arm.

_Pyra,_ Mythra spoke slowly, unsure if she should address this now. Waiting for this to blow over might be easier, but Mythra wanted to know now, _Are you having second thoughts?_

Was she? She had been instilled with the idea that they needed to die in order for the world to know peace. However, having a taste of life herself, Pyra found herself wondering if it was as bad as Mythra's memories showed. She had been fortunate to find herself in such company. Especially Rex's. She found herself uncertain as to if she wanted to die just yet.

Then she spied Rex's form in front of her, and her mind went over all that had happened to him since he had found her. He had been stabbed, beaten, cut, and burned. All on her account. Because of her, he lost a father figure he had found after so long. He had been chased down by those who would claim her, and they were more than willing to kill to do it. Kill him. Mythra had already experienced devastation. Perhaps it was better just to take her word for it.

_I'm still with you._ Pyra finally responded without directly answering the question. For she had been having doubt. Part of her wanted to live, but...if it caused Rex and the others pain...no, she did not want that. She had already cost the life of Vandam. She did not want even more blood on her hands. None, save her own.

_Alright, _Mythra responded, but there was no triumph in her voice, _I'll leave you be for a while now. _

_ Very well, _Pyra smiled emptily as her sister went back to her own thoughts. Meanwhile, Pyra stared at Rex as they stepped out onto the flight deck. The thoughts she had were bittersweet. Thoughts of peace. Thoughts of what could have been. Thoughts of life.

**A/N: I'm late to the party, but I finally got Xenoblade Chronicles 2, and I loved it. Even knowing the general idea of how it would end, that ending still hit me in the feels. With the exception of a Heart to Heart which doesn't seem very well thought out, it works so well, and I may not have loved a game this much since Awakening. Of course, there's also a decent bit to unpack, so please excuse me if I fumble here or there.**

**Now, I will say that this is strictly Rex and Pyra. However, I also want to avoid the trap of having Mythra be a jerk to Rex. Hopefully that showed a bit here even though this is pretty soon after her introduction. I'm also not entirely sure when you could say that Rex and Pyra actually fell for each other, or even more so when they came to terms with it. **

**In any case, hopefully that was enjoyable if there is anyone even reading these stories these days. **


	2. Chapter 2

Pyra shifted the paper a little as she considered what to write next. After her talk with Corrine, she got to thinking, so to help put her thoughts in order, she decided to put them onto paper. She never intended to send the letter, but it was helping her to collect her thoughts.

That is not to say it made her feel better though. In truth, she just felt worse, but at least she had a better idea as to why. She also remembered why it had to be this way. She sighed as she pulled away from the desk. At least she got it out of her system she supposed.

She picked the letter and prepared to burn it when she was startled, "Pyra!"

The Aegis squeaked and dropped the letter, "N-Nia! What do you need?"

"Some of the kids keep pestering me to play with em. Thought you'd be better at that sort of thing. Somethin about 'hide n' seek.'"

"O-oh, of course. I'll be right there," Pyra stood, but she could not see the letter. She could not afford to look for it though as that would just make Nia suspicious. She would have to dispose of it when she got back.

With that in mind, she followed after the Gormotti and headed for where the children had gathered.

* * *

"That should be enough," Rex wiped his brow as he finished stacking the firewood, "Need anything else, Auntie?"

"No, dear," Corrine smiled at the boy, "You've done more than enough. Go spend some time with that lady friend of yours."

"A-auntie! We're not…I mean, she's…"

Corinne simply chuckled, "So you say. Either way, I don't have anymore chores for you."

"Then I guess I'll…go…check…on Pyra," Rex froze on the steps as he realized how that sounded given the context. He looked at his aunt's grinning expression, "We're just friends! You check on friends! It's what you do!"

"Of course."

Refusing to let his aunt catch sight of his blushing face, Rex soldiered on up the stairs to where Pyra would be staying the night.

"Pyra?" Rex knocked on the door, "Ya in there?" No response. He waited for a bit longer and was about to knock again when he noticed a piece of paper lying on the ground outside of her room.

Curious, Rex walked over and picked up the paper.

_Rex,_

_I really don't know how to start this. I guess I'll start by saying thank you. You really are too kind. I cannot thank you enough for the happy memories that you have afforded me. You have shown me how much life can offer, and for that, I'll always be grateful._

_But Torna and others aren't going to stop coming after Mythra and me. So long as you are with us – with me – you are in danger. I know you promised to take me to Elysium, but it's simply too dangerous. I'll only ever cause you pain. It's what happens when to those around the Aegis. It was true of Mythra, and it's true of me. I'm sorry._

_I still believe that you'll make it to Elysium, Rex. You're determined, and you have a good heart. You can make it on your own, just without me. It's better this way._

_There is more I could say – more I wish I could say at least – but I don't want to make this any harder. Good luck on your journey and thank you for the memories._

_ I'm Truly Sorry, _

_ Pyra_

Rex's face had gone pale as he read the letter. For several moments, he simply stared at the paper in shock. After a few moments, Rex finally found the will to move again and darted down the stairs skipping two stairs at a time.

"Woah, Rex, where's the fire?" Corinne was suddenly very concerned by the near panic of the boy's face.

"Have you seen Pyra?" Rex did not bother with pleasantries.

"We spoke some at lunch, but the last I saw her, I think she was headed toward the arch. Why?"

"Not good, not good," Rex was in a full panic now.

"Rex, what's wrong? You're worrying me."

However, Rex was already out the door dashing toward the arch himself. Noticing a piece of paper left in his wake, Corinne knelt down to give it a look over. Her heart sank as she read it, and she realized why he had been in such a state.

"Oh dear."

* * *

"Hmm," Pyra stopped next to a barrel with a poorly concealed child behind it, "Now where could Mark be I wonder? Could he be…" Pyra reached over the barrel and grabbed the boy by his shoulders, "Here!"

Mark laughed/screamed in surprise, "Agh, you got me Miss Pyra."

"Finally find the last runt, did ya?" Nia looked rather annoyed as the kids seemed particularly fascinated by her ears. They also seemed to love Dromarch as he was, after all, quite fluffy.

"I certainly did," Pyra smiled. She had actually had fun with all of this. Though, hiding did get a bit boring even if they found her pretty quick. She did have a bit of a disadvantage not knowing the layout as well. Still, she enjoyed the children's smiles.

"Aegis."

Pyra directed her attention to the Special Inquisitor who Pyra had thought had been catching up on some reading in her room, "Morag, what is it?"

"Corinne has asked that we gather, but she wants to speak to you alone first."

"Oh," Pyra was a bit confused, but she nodded in compliance nonetheless, "Alright, I'll meet you all there. I think I saw Bridghid over toward the edge of town."

Morag nodded and went to retrieve her blade while Nia and Dromarch followed after her after shooing the kids away. Meanwhile, Pyra quickly found herself in Corinne's kitchen.

"You wanted to see me?"

"I take it this is yours," Corinne got straight to the point and held out Pyra's letter. Upon realizing what she was holding, Pyra covered her mouth in shock. "I take that as a yes."

"I-I never meant to send it. I was just…putting my thoughts on paper."

Corinne sighed, "I can understand that, but I don't think Rex did."

"R-rex read it?" Pyra's face went uncharacteristically pale.

"That he did. Ran off looking for you I'd imagine."

"He what?" Pyra knew she should not have been surprised, but this place was dangerous, "I have to go find him."

"Hold on," Corinne called, but she was already gone leaving her to sigh to herself.

* * *

Pyra had charged past the others on her way to hunt for Rex ignoring their calls to her. She frantically went to the harbor thinking that was the most logical place for him to start his search for her. He had been there according to the workers, but, unfortunately, he had left after they told him that they had not seen her or Mythra.

This left Pyra in even more of a guilty panic. A panic which only got worse when she felt a gash open up on her arm. He was hurt. He was hurt because he was trying to find her alone.

_Pyra!_ She finally noticed her sister screaming at her from inside her head. How long she had been doing that, Pyra did not know. _You're not helping anyone by freaking out like this_. For the moment, Mythra decided not to bring up how this certainly did not look like keeping her distance.

"I know, but…he's out there alone looking for us because of that stupid letter."

Resisting the urge to agree that the letter was indeed a bad idea, Mythra instead sighed, _I know, but he grew up around here. He's sure to know his way around. We just need to keep our cool and track him down. Preferably with the others._

"But his lead will only get larger if we go back now! Besides, we can cover more ground separately. Please, Mythra. It's my fault. Let me try and fix this."

Mythra sighed again, _Alright, but at least try to keep a cool head._ _Just relax. He'll be fine. He knows this place like the back of his hand. How much trouble could he find himself in?_

* * *

Rex did not know how long he had been walking, he just knew that the sun had gone down a while ago. Growing up around here, he knew better than to stay out past dark alone, but that did not matter to him at the moment. All he could think about was finding Pyra.

"Pyra!" Rex cupped his hands around his mouth not caring what creatures heard him so long as Pyra was one of them. His increased recklessness had amassed him no small amount of cuts and bruises as well as a potentially cracked rib. He was also profusely aware that none of those wounds had come from Pyra. She was doing just fine on her own it seemed while he was hurting her. Part of him had considered just turning back, but he could not do that now. She would have been injured just like him. He had to find her.

The salvager stumbled as he missed his next step, but he pushed himself back up. His eyes filled with determination, he called out again, "Pyra!" Deciding that maybe Mythra had taken charge, he threw one out for her as well, "Mythra?"

"Rex?" He looked up at finally hearing a response.

"Pyra?" He turned at the sound, but he turned too quickly and agitated his rib, "Gah!"

"Rex!" Pyra quickly darted to his side doing her best to ignore the pain in her side. Using the flame she had used to light her way, she looked him over. He was in as bad of shame as she was, but with the added detriment of exhaustion.

"Are you okay?" He asked her, "I'm sorry I hurt you. I just…I had to find you and convince you that you didn't have to leave. I don't care who follows us. I _will_ get you to Elysium."

"Don't worry about that right now!" Pyra was touched but also mortified that the first thing he thought of was her. This only served to reinforce her belief that he would be better off without her, but then, what would he do once she was gone?

"Come on," Pyra pulled him up and supported him with her arm, "We need to get you back to Fonsett."

However, he did not move when she made to move. She looked at him in concern, "You're not…going anywhere are you?"

The Aegis smiled despite herself, "You promised to take me to Elysium. Where else would I go?"

This seemed to be enough for the young man, and he started walking along with her, "Mmm," He idly leaned into her, "You're warm."

Pyra simply blushed and kept them moving forward.

* * *

"Pyra!" Rex shot up in bed out of a panic.

"Relax," Came a familiar voice, but it was not exactly the one he had called out for.

"Mythra?" Rex spoke slowly as he regained his bearings. He was in his old room, and it appeared to be daylight again. Though, he did not really remember getting in bed again.

"Yeah," The elder Aegis sat with folded arms looking away from the boy, "Pyra ran herself to exhaustion last night, so she's resting."

"Oh," Rex shrunk down at the unspoken accusation.

"Look," Mythra made eye contact this time, "That letter of hers was a stupid idea. She was just getting some troubling thoughts out of her head. She never intended to send it."

"She didn't?" Rex's face lit up a little more, but he still did not like the idea of those kinds of thoughts being there in the first place.

"No. That said," Mythra gave Rex perhaps the most intense glare he had ever seen, "If you ever worry my sister like that again, I swear that Torna will be the least of your worries. Got it?"

Rex swallowed hard, "Yes, Ma'am."

"Did you just call me, 'Ma'am?'" Despite her age, that still made Mythra feel old.

"Er, Mythra," Rex attempted a weak course correction causing Mythra to sigh.

"Whatever. Pyra's awake now, and she wants to speak with you," In a flash of light, Mythra was replaced by the younger Aegis.

"Er, sorry about that," Pyra apologized for her sister's threat, "I guess Mythra has a bit of a protective streak."

"I'm pretty sure I deserved that one," Rex tried to manage a grin, "I'm really sorry that I worried you. It's just…when I thought you had gone, I went into a panic."

"It's my fault," Pyra could not bring herself to look him in the eyes, "I shouldn't have written that letter."

There was a brief pause, "Do you really feel that way? Do you really think we'd be better off without you?"

"I…just look at yourself, Rex! All of this was because of me. Mythra and I…we only bring pain."

"I don't buy that for a second," Rex said with all the determination in the world, "This was because I was reckless and not strong enough, but I'll get better. Nowhere to go but up after all. Now, you need forget this nonsense about you dragging us down. We're stronger together than we ever could be apart."

"…Stronger together…" Pyra looked him in the eyes and nodded, "Alright. Please, forgive me for worrying you."

"You really should stop apologizing so much. It's water under the bridge."

"Thank you, Rex," Pyra smiled, but she still could not escape the fact that she was just putting off the inevitable. It was clear now that Rex was going to be crushed when the truth came to light. Though, perhaps in a sense, it was better to wait until he would have nothing to chase after.

**A/N: Decided to try at least one more of these, and, hey, the story got its first follower shortly before I uploaded. Perhaps I should clarify my stance some more though. I generally think Mythra's feelings are more subjective than Pyra's who they make painfully obvious has feelings for Rex, but I'm going with the she doesn't love him route. As for how Rex feels, well, the Chapter 8 choice may influence how people feel about that. I picked Pyra. I like her better, but it also seemed like a more in character choice for Rex.**

**Maybe I'll end up exploring the sisterly relationship between the two some more though as that's something that didn't seem too fleshed out in the game. And with the ending, it seems pretty clear that they are their own people rather than split personalities. Though, it might also be best not to think too hard about some things. **


	3. Chapter 3

Tantal was cold. Despite how cold it was though, most of the party bore it fairly well with the exception of Nia who really, really did not like the cold. Despite that, most of the party was fairly well equipped for the cold. Bridghid and Pyra were virtually immune to the cold, Dromarch, Azurda, and Tora were fairly well insulated, Morag was very well covered, and Poppi could not even feel cold, though, seeing Zeke not even wearing a shirt was fairly impressive as was Pandoria's open shirt.

That left Rex. He tried his best not to let it show, but in the end, he was wearing shorts and no sleeves. He also had not grown up in such a climate. Despite some initial concern, Rex had convinced most that he was fine. He really did not show how frigid he was. Through sheer force of will, he had masked his own discomfort.

He managed to hold out until they decided to stop in some ruins for the night. A quick meal had left most of them full for a night's rest. Most had drifted off for the night by the time Pyra had secured any leftovers for breakfast the next day. Bridghid gave the Aegis a slight nod as she stood guard taking the first watch.

Pyra tended to the dying fire when she realized that her driver was still awake huddled very close to the fire. Pyra took in his shivering appearance. As the temperature dropped even further, he could not mask how freezing he was anymore. He hardly even noticed Pyra's presence as he was working on maintaining as much heat as he could from underneath one of the light traveling blankets they carried.

The Aegis felt a pang of guilt at having not realized how cold he was. Cold was something she simply had a hard time accounting for on account of never being cold. She could hardly just watch him shiver all night now that she was aware of his discomfort though.

"Rex?" She got his attention and noticed how he immediately tried to stop his teeth from clattering.

"P-pyra! A-are y-y-you heading to b-b-bed now?" He failed.

"Are you sure you're okay? It's pretty cold out."

"I-I'll be f-fine," He gave a weak smile, "You g-go on to s-s-s-sleep."

"Rex, you'll catch something if this keeps up. Really, we should have gotten you some winter gear before coming here."

"M-my d-d-diving suit is p-pretty warm actually."

Pyra did not look convinced, "Then why don't you close it up?"

"It's a b-b-it hard to move around in."

Pyra sighed, "It's better than catching hypothermia." Looking around, she saw no other option and laid down on the cold stone surface and patted the stone next to her, "Come on, I'll just have to warm you up."

"I d-didn't think you l-liked being a heater?" Rex eyed the side of his blade as if she would bite him if he got too close.

"Extenuating circumstances." Truth be told, it had been somewhat bothersome having Nia use her as a space heater, but…this was different somehow. Oh, who was she kidding? She knew why she was more open to this, and it was not just to save Rex from losing any toes.

"O-okay," Rex swallowed and scooted closer. Pyra took the edge of the blanket and laid it over herself. Honestly, their positioning was far from compromising as Rex laid out flat finally regaining the feeling in his extremities while Pyra laid rigidly with her hands gently laid out over her stomach. She tried denying that this was any different than providing a friend with life preserving heat, but she could not deny a different kind of warmth in the pit of her stomach. It was different. _Very_ different. Had it been anyone but Rex, she simply would have been doing a kind deed, but her feelings for him made this much more complicated than it should have been.

Both parties were simply glad that Bridghid was the only one awake as she was generally not one to spread rumors. That said, Rex was a bit concerned.

"Pyra," He whispered now that he had regained control of his jaw, "What if the others see us?"

Pyra's face went red. Well, moreso than it already was, "Er, I'm an early riser. I'll just make sure no one sees us." Fortunately, Morag was supposed to take second watch, and she was reliable enough not to start any rumors as well. Pyra made a point to explain to her and her blade later regardless. She needed to make sure that they were clear on the fact that she was doing this for Rex's health which was technically true. That did not stop her heart from pounding violently in her chest, but they did not need to know that part.

"Alright," Rex replied sleepily. He had no reason to doubt her, and he quickly relaxed and let himself fall asleep. Pyra thought it was adorable. Though, after she caught herself staring, she was very glad that Mythra had turned in early. She really did not want to hear her thoughts on this matter. Partially because she knew her older sister would be right.

Pyra had been more careful to keep her distance lately. Ironically, she and Mythra had experienced a bit of a role reversal after Haze's death. Mythra had felt a rush of emotions from her past, and she had wanted to help amend for some of the pain she had caused - deep down, she was a caring person who especially wanted to help those afflicted by conflict, but Pyra knew Rex enough to know that he would rebound on his own. Pyra was glad to see Mythra open up to Rex though, but at the end of the day, Mythra still knew what getting attached would do to him and still kept him at arms' length with sarcastic comments and a snarky attitude.

Pyra realized that she had failed already. She had let him too close before she even realized it. Admittedly, he had a way of slipping past people's walls, and she had found herself smitten. Part of her wanted to stay in Elysium with him when they found it rather than ask her father to let her die, but she always shot that idea down. It simply would not work, and she knew it. At least, she believed she did.

To ever lead him on would be beyond cruel, but she could not bring herself to be mean to him, even playfully. Even Mythra had compared it to kicking a puppy, but it was that and more to the flame blade. Even being not nice to him was hard for her. Acting uninterested was hard.

Pyra's eyes widened when she felt a pair of arms wrap around her. She looked to see Rex snuggling his face up against her shoulder comfortably causing the Aegis to smile. Maybe she could indulge herself. What was the harm when he was not awake to see the admiration in her eyes?

* * *

Rex awoke with a deep yawn as he stretched. He could not remember the last time he slept so well. It was only after the chill of the air hit his exposed skin that he remembered why he had slept so soundly.

He smiled at the soundly sleeping Pyra by his side. Almost automatically, he pushed some of her hair out of her face in a very affectionate manner. It was enough to make him forget the cold air around him even after he had let the heat escape the confines of the blanket.

It did not, however, mask Nia's snort as she restrained some laughter. Mortified, Rex finally looked up to see almost the entire party grinning like idiots. Pandoria looked like she was about to squeal, and Zeke muttered a quiet, "I knew it," while wearing the smuggest of grins.

"Sleep well, Rex?" Nia asked with a devious grin.

"I, er, uh, well…" Rex was a stammering mess.

"Mmm, Rex?" Pyra mumbled as she stretched completely unaware of their audience. Her sleep addled mind gave him a warm smile, "Good morning."

"Isn't it?" Nia snickered.

Pyra's eyes shot open and she quickly darted up. Oh no. She had overslept. She never overslept! "H-he was cold!" Pyra blurted out, "I couldn't let him catch something!"

"Ah, don't worry about it," Pandoria replied, "You looked positively adorable cuddling like that."

"C-cuddling?" Pyra felt like she might not need the Architect to die at this point.

"Alright," Morag finally stepped in, "They've suffered enough. We should get moving."

Zeke cleared his throat dramatically, "Right, we should be able to arrive by lunch at this rate. Let's head out!"

Rex and Pyra did not speak a word as they cleared up camp. As they trekked through the snow, Pyra heard a yawn inside of her head, _So, what'd I miss?_


	4. Chapter 4

Pain. Pyra was not sure how much of it was hers and how much of it was Rex's, but she was in a lot of pain. How could one blade be so strong? Mythra had been unable to stop him, and she had even been knocked unconscious leaving the younger Aegis alone for the time being.

Alone to watch in horror as Jin planted his sword down beside of Rex's head and threatened to carve the core crystal from his chest. She had to do something! She had to act, but…what could she do? Mythra could not stop him, and she was much stronger than herself. Even if PYra could somehow access Siren, what good would it do? Jin could neutralize the beam itself.

Pyra's eyes widened. If she did not use the beam...heat was her specialty after all. Maybe…but it was risky. She did not know if it would work. She wished Mythra was here, perhaps to talk her out of it, but it was her choice alone to make. A choice she did not hesitate in making.

"Jin!" Pyra struggled to her feet, "Let him go!"

"Or what?" Jin was not in the mood for more games. Good. Neither was she.

"Or," Pyra took a deep breath, "I'll destroy myself!"

Rex's eyes went wide, but Pyra avoided looking at him. Their exchange was interrupted by Malos though, "Ha! You don't have the power!"

Pyra grit her teeth and mustered all of her will as she looked at the other Aegis. "Are you sure about that?" Pyra was suddenly awash with crimson light from Siren's targeting ray drowning out her own emerald glow. It was enough to catch Malos off guard.

"Well, this is a surprise. I didn't think you had it in you," Was that…a bit of begrudging respect? No matter, Pyra did not care what he thought about her. She may have been a weak excuse for an Aegis, but he needed her.

"Well? You do need me alive, don't you?"

"Picked up on that, huh?"

"Go ahead," Jin dismissed, "I'll just nullify the attack like last time."

"You could, if I were using the weapon itself, but this…is the targeting ray. Pure light. Focused tightly enough, it can produce enough heat to annihilate one blade. All I have to do is turn up the intensity."

Honestly, she was not even sure if it would work. Sure, it could annihilate a normal blade, but she was no normal blade. She would also have to be quick about transferring her crystal to Rex and hope that they left him and the others be. Even then, she was not certain how that might affect her mortality. Her connection with Rex was likely why it would work at all, but taking him with her was not an option in her mind. That much she knew Mythra would agree with.

Jin seems to realize that she had backed him into a corner, "Name your price."

"Leave Rex and the others alone. They walk free…and I'll go with you."

"Pyra! Don't–" Rex finally speaks out, but Jin silences him with a harsh press of his boot. Pyra forces herself not to wince both from feeling it and the sight.

"You'd give us what we want? Just like that?"

Pyra nodded, "I'll do whatever you ask." Logically, she knew one man's life was not worth this, but this went beyond logic. This was emotional. If it bought Rex a chance, she would take it. She just…regretted parting ways like this.

"Very well," Jin pulled his sword up from the ground, "Their lives for yours."

Despite all that had happened, Pyra took Jin at his word. Not that she had much choice in the matter. So, Pyra called Siren off as Jin approached her. Her little stunt had cost her most of what was left of her energy though, and she found herself collapsing into Jin's arms.

"Pyra!" She faintly heard Rex yell after her. She wanted to call out to him. To tell him that he would be better off without her, but she could not even open her eyes. She felt that she had failed him, but she was sure that he could find a way to Elysium on his own. He was determined and hopelessly optimistic after all.

"Pathetic," Jin scolded, "She could barely stand and you didn't even notice. And here I thought you were different."

He was! Pyra wanted to scream, but she had very little consciousness left. It was not his fault that she never told him, never burdened him with her pain, with her sorrow. It was not his to bear.

_I'm so sorry, Rex. Please, live, for me. You deserve better than I could give you._ Those were her last thoughts before she finally succumbed to the darkness.

* * *

Rex did not move for some time since collapsing to his hands and knees after Torna left. He did not speak, he barely moved. He just stared at the ground. No one approached him. They did not know what to say. Pyra was gone. She had left to protect him. He had failed; he could not protect her. What good was he? What kind of driver…what kind of friend was so worthless?

Rex punched the snowy ground with a yell which soon turned to an anguished whimper. She was gone. To think he had even dared to entertain the thought that…that there might have have been sparks of something greater between. Even for a moment. He was just a pathetic boy in over his head, wasn't he?

Pyra…Mythra…were they...really better off without him? He had failed them both. Who was he to be the Aegis' driver? He only became their driver through sheer chance anyway. He believed they deserved better. They deserved…a real driver.

With that self-deprecating thought, Rex finally collapsed in the snow.

**A/N: I started to wonder, if they could have just vaporized themselves with Siren, why didn't Mythra just lock on and end it after Torna if she wanted to die so bad? Apparently, they could spare Rex during this scene. I don't know, one explanation might be that Pyra was simply bluffing, but you'd think Malos would catch on. Probably best not to think too hard about it. **

** This one took a bit much after the actual scene, but hopefully that isn't as fresh in most of your minds.**

** Also, two problems with getting into this game. One, the hype is gone, and a lot have moved on. Second, it probably makes the fact Rex (and Pyra and Mythra) is likely never making Smash all the more potent. Shame that by the time the next one rolls around, he will have likely lost most if not all relevance to another protagonist. **

** I hadn't planned on it, but I may get the DLC anyway on account of the seeming game drought after Luigi's Mansion 3. I'm not even really very interested in Torna though, and I haven't even started NG+ (I don't want the new title screen[s] really) though I would like to at least beat Ophion. I mean, random rare blades don't even have that much interest in me outside of the Torna ones (even then, maybe not all). For the DLC, Shulk and Fiora could be neat to play around with though. **


	5. Chapter 5

The Cliffs of Morytha. Few ever dared to set foot on such a place. Salvagers told a lot of stories about it. How many were true, how many were based on something true, and how many were completely made up, no one really knew. However, those tales did a good job of keeping most sane people away.

Rex went without hesitation.

He was not alone of course. They were all in this together by this point, and the stakes were of course extremely high, but none of them had the determination that he did. After his failure, he had almost given up, but now he stood ready to save Pyra and Mythra and march into Elysium even if he had to go through Malos and Jin to do it. How did he plan to beat them without Pyra and Mythra? He was largely banking on getting through to Pyra and Mythra. He just knew that he had to get to them. To convince them that they were not alone.

To make up for his mistakes. To save the woman he…well, that was a matter for another day. He wanted to save them both of course though he would not admit it, but he did feel more strongly toward one than he did the other. Something that became more apparent as it started to dawn on him that they were, in fact, different people despite his earlier thoughts. It was weird, and it was complicated, but he could try and sort all that out later.

The cliffs themselves were jagged and uninviting as one might expect, but it was not devoid of life. This was certainly not a hospitable place, but Rex was ready to charge head first into it.

He made it about two steps before he hunched over clutching his chest in pain. He did not know what it was, but something…something was very wrong.

"Rex?"

"Pyra?" Rex forced his head up to see Pyra standing in front of him looking extremely concerned. No one else could see her though, and they silently wondered what was happening with the boy.

"Rex, why are you here?" Pyra looked…scared. She was scared before, yes, but seeing him here mortified her, "Why did you come here?"

"What kind of a question is that?" Rex uneasily propped himself up on a knee, "I'm here to fulfil my promise to you."

"Rex," Pyra put a hand to her chest in momentary admiration, but it was short lived.

"Oh, how sickeningly sweet."

"Malos!" Rex was not sure where he had come from, and despite not being able to see any of this, the others still readied their weapons.

"Rex! Leave! Run as-mph!" Pyra was cut off by black fog covering her mouth courtesy of Malos.

"Let her go!" Rex stood to his full height though he struck far from an imposing figure to the Aegis.

"You're free to come and try and take her. It shouldn't be too much longer now. Then I'll be more than happy to help you leave this world, but if you'd rather sit in a corner and wait for the end, I'll accept that too."

"I'm not runnin'. I will save her, Malos! Don't get in my way!"

Malos let out a dark chuckle, "We'll just have to see how much of her is left when and if you actually get there."

"What's that supposed to mean? What are you doing to her?"

"Why don't you hurry along and find out?" With that, Malos faded away from Rex's view.

"Rex?" Nia asked cautiously, "What was that all about?"

"You mean you didn't see that?"

"No," Morag spoke ever calmly, "You fell to the ground as if in pain, and then proceeded to speak as if you were talking to Pyra and Malos."

Rex lowered his head as his hand drifted to Pyra's core crystal in his chest, "It must have been our connection." Then Rex lifted his head filled with determination, "Malos is doing something. I don't think we have long!"

"Then," Zeke folded his arms with a smirk, "Let's not keep your lady waiting, Rex."

"Ye-hey! She's not my–"

"No time for blushy now," Tora scolded Rex, "Rex-Rex blushy later."

"Right," Rex shook his head remembering what was at stake, "Onward!"

* * *

The party was making progress, though not as much as Rex would have liked. They were closing in on some ruins when Rex suddenly toppled over again.

"Rex?" Nia was by his side in an instant, "Is it Malos again?"

"I-I don't know," Rex could not explain it, but he suddenly felt very cold. Hollow almost. He was disoriented and was having a hard time focusing. It was not pain per say; more like he had been punched in the stomach without the actual punch.

He did manage to pull himself up though, and the ever present glow of Pyra's core crystal reassured him that she was still alive. He would not be if that were not the case. He just had to keep pressing onward.

* * *

Rex found himself alone with Mythra after everything that had happened. He had been mortified to find Pyra comatose. He had never been so scared in his life. He thought he had lost her, but, somehow, she was able to return to them. They both were.

Mythra shifted a little in her sleep. She really was a restless sleeper. It was almost hard to imagine that she was an Aegis when she was like this. He honestly felt a bit bad though. He really started to realize that their use of the term sister was fairly apt, and he had also realized that he was madly in love with one of them.

There were so many problems with that though. She was an Aegis, and, well, she shared a body with her sister. That could get really awkward really fast. Still though, perhaps Rex should talk to Mythra about it. Assuming they could do so without Pyra listening in.

He may not have been romantically inclined toward the elder Aegis, but that did not mean he did not care about her, and she knew Pyra well. He would have liked to have her blessing if they ever…took it to the next step.

Not that it really mattered, he decided. He doubted there was any chance that Pyra could feel that way about a nobody like him.

Whatever happened though, he was determined to fulfill his promise. Whatever happened after that, he would figure it out.

**A/N: I decided not to do the big scene. It already has a cutscene and it's a lot to write. Though, one thing I don't get about that cutscene is how they show him Aion saying something along the lines of it being their whole being...despite the fact that Aion seems to be a separate entity. Oh well. **

**I also discovered that there is a level cap at 99...even though some opponents go beyond that. Maybe Ophion isn't worth it. I think I managed to take out about half it's health once. **


	6. Chapter 6

"Alright," Rex secured his new helmet, "Be back in a bit." Every since he found out that his new suite also functioned as a diving suit, Rex had been eager to try it out. Of course, he chose to try it out at the Cliffs of Morytha rather than somewhere more tame.

"Be safe," Pyra waved him off with no small amount of concern in her ruby eyes.

Rex just laughed before running off the cliff with his usual flair. He was quite proud of his work, and many suspected him of showing off for all them in general and Pyra specifically. Though, Pyra never really cared for when he went salvaging.

Logically, she knew that he had been doing this for years and could manage himself. He had more experience salvaging than he did adventuring after all, but there was a key difference between those two: she could accompany him on the adventuring. Maybe she was just being overly protective, but she did not like him being out there alone. At least the new suit should help him out though, even if she did not fully understand what she had helped to make herself. It was…weird.

It may have even gotten worse knowing that her future was now undetermined. She considered that, maybe, they had a future which made her feelings potentially get in the way even more. It had gotten so bad that Mythra had been forced to take charge for some of the more serious battles as Pyra tended to get distracted more easily.

"Pyra!" Speaking of.

"Ah!" Pyra jumped, "Y-yes, Zeke?"

"You're exceptionally out of it today."

"Ugh," Nia grumbled, "She's worried about Rex. Really, if you're just going to sit there worrying about him, the least you could do is let Mythra out to join the game."

"Huh?" Pyra then took note of the cards in the hands of her friends as well as on the ground. Playing games was a common method of passing the time while Rex went salvaging.

_Do you want to play?_

_ Sure, why not?_

With a flash of light, Mythra took charge leaving Pyra to worry in solitude. At least she was keeping her thoughts to herself.

"Deal me in," Mythra sat on a nearby rock, "What are we playing?"

"Go Fishy-Fishy!" Tora happily proclaimed.

"Go Fish? Seriously?"

"It was Masterpon's idea," Poppi revealed.

Mythra, not too surprised by that revelation, took her cards and looked them over carefully. As she was doing so, Zeke decided to get Mythra's thoughts on a very important matter.

"So, Mythra, is Pyra really in love with my old chum, Rex?"

Mythra looked up from her hand as if he had just asked the dumbest question possible, "Well, duh."

"And," Morag slowly spoke as she anticipated her next need, "What of you?"

"What about me?" Mythra stopped for a moment, "Got any '2's?'"

"Aww," Tora handed over two cards.

"Do you have the same feelings for Rex," Morag specified.

"No," Mythra replied plainly, "Rex is like…a little brother I guess. Don't get me wrong, I'd kill for him, but, despite being weaker than me, I would not want to be in the shoes of someone that hurt Rex when Pyra's around."

"You truly are like sisters, aren't you?" Bridghid commented.

"Yeah," Mythra looked a bit melancholy, "At first, I…didn't really pay her much mind, but…at some point…I realized just how different we were." With that realization came the unpleasant realization that she had essentially brought a new life into the world just to drag down with her.

Despite being the weaker of the two, Mythra firmly believed that Pyra was the better of the two. Sometimes she wondered what Pyra could have done were she not bogged down by her memories and power.

Perhaps it was Pyra's weakness that explained why many seemed to think she shined through more when they were combined. Pyra, while still very powerful, understood what it meant to not have such terrible power whereas Mythra always had it. Perhaps Mythra was on some level taking a back seat because of this. Because she trusted Pyra more than herself. Her demeanor and her respect for what it meant not to have such power made her an excellent choice to wield such power in Mythra's eyes. Perhaps some of that bled through. Their experiences in that form were not always the clearest anyway, so it was hard to give a lot of clear answers.

"So," Zeke looked his hand over, "How's that going to work if Rex and Pyra tie the knot?"

Mythra did get a bit flustered, "We…haven't really talked about that." They probably should she figured, but it would take some doing just to get Pyra to admit that it was a possibility. Really, the whole shared body thing would be the greatest hurdle.

"Really now," Nia finally spoke seemingly uncomfortable for a reason that was fairly obvious to everyone except Mythra and Pyra, "What if Pyra can hear you?"

"Eh," Mythra shrugged, "She's too busy worrying about Rex to really pay attention."

"I thought you shared memories?" Morag voiced her confusion.

"Well, only the ones up until Pyra's creation. We can also still be aware of what's going on even if we aren't out, but if we're either distracted or asleep, then we don't know what the other did." Like how Pyra did not know exactly what Mythra had done after the sleep walking incident. Not that Mythra was going to bring that up as an example.

"We also don't know what the other's thinking unless we decide to 'talk.'"

"Fascinating," Morag commented.

Hours passed and the team moved through a few different games as the sun began to set. Not that it was all that noticeable where they were at. Between Mythra, Bridghid, and Pandoria, they were more than capable of illuminating the area, but that was not the problem. The looming darkness drove Pyra's worrying into overdrive to the point she was starting to get kind of loud.

"Would you chill?" Mythra asked out loud in annoyance garnering a few strange looks, "Sorry. Pyra's just getting kind of annoying."

"I thought you couldn't hear her thoughts?" Dromarch inquired.

"She's being really loud. I could switch and let you see for yourself."

"No, no, I don't think that will be necessary."

Fortunately for Mythra's sanity, the sound of a grappling hook catching on the nearby cliff heralded the return of their salvager. Rex barely even had time to haul up the chest before he noticed Mythra walked toward him looking rather annoyed.

"About time! Pester him for a change," With a flash, Mythra was replaced by a very embarrassed Pyra.

"Uh, Pyra? Is something wrong?"

"N-no, nothing's wrong," Pyra put him at ease with a single smile which he returned before going over how well the suit worked and all the trinkets he had pulled up. Meanwhile, Mythra was thinking about how she and Pyra probably did need to have that talk.

**A/N: I don't know, I kind of feel these are kind of rambly. Oh well. Maybe I should do one about Rex drowining Pyra in tea and other goodies trying to raise trust. Course, she isn't the only one I've resorted to that tactic for. **

**In other news, I have beat half of the super bosses, so that's nice. What isn't nice is that Ophion isn't one of them. Still, most of them actually went down fairly easily. Of course, I still have...the Sea King...yeah, might skip him until a NG+ run. **


	7. Chapter 7

"Be careful, Rex," Pyra called out even as her driver charged headlong into the group of monsters. The evening had started off so nice as the party had decided to stop at Theosoir for the day, and Rex had surprised everyone by asking Pyra to go on a walk. Alone. Without even Azurda.

Pyra was clearly flustered by the offer, but that did not stop her from accepting with all due haste much to the amusement of the others. Mythra poked some light fun at her sister, but otherwise decided to let them have their fun. That, and she was still plagued by the idea of addressing Pyra and Rex's very obvious feelings and what that meant for the two sharing a body.

The walk had started off well enough with some casual conversation and the two of them skirting the elephant in the room. The usual stuff. Despite their inability to talk about their feelings, the two were still having a pleasant time simply enjoying each other's company. At least, until the monsters showed up.

Rex had come a long way since they had started traveling together, and as such, he was no slouch when it came to combat. Despite that, Rex still had his limits, and without any backup, he was starting to get overwhelmed.

"Rex, look out!" Pyra called out as one of the pesky arachnids went after him. He managed to cut it down, but not before two more came at him from the sides.

"Where are these guys comin' from?" Rex wiped his brow quickly, before jumping back into the fray.

"Do you need to take a break?"

"Nah, I'm good," Rex shot her a confident grin, but in doing so, he looked away allowing one of the arachno's to tie his legs up with webs causing him to trip and roll down an incline. Pyra winced as she felt the bruises accumulate on her own body, but her normally cold-immune body froze in terror at seeing a horde of the monsters converging on her downed driver.

In a flash, Pyra was setting off down the hill for Rex in a panic. Meanwhile, Mythra was trying to get her attention.

_Pyra! Switch to me. I'm better equipped to save him!_

However, Pyra did not pay her sister any mind and stooped down to pick up her sword which Rex had dropped during his tumble. There was an intensity in the normally mild-mannered Aegis that would have sent chills down the spines of most living things.

_Pyra! Listen to me!_ Mythra huffed as she was still ignored. In desperation, Mythra prepared to override Pyra and take control. It was not something she liked to do as it felt like a violation of Pyra's rights, but it was for all their sakes.

However, when Mythra made to override her sister, she was shocked to find that it did not work. That...was not supposed to be possible. Pyra was not supposed to be able to block her. Whether she was aware of what she was doing or not, Pyra had managed to keep Mytrha from forcibly taking control. It would be impressive if it did not come at such a time, but...Mythra was not so sure that she was needed for this anymore.

And, indeed, she turned out not to be needed as Pyra's flames burned hotter than Mythra could ever remember them burning before. It rung true of Mythra's statement of not wanting to be in her way if someone threatened Rex. Pyra's ability to surpass her limitations without losing control - as wild as her inferno may have seemed, not one flame ever touched the downed Rex - was impressive.

It made Mythra wonder.

Either way, Rex was saved even if a bit battered.

"Can you walk?" Pyra asked despite knowing full well that he could walk. He was just sore from what she could tell.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," Rex dusted himself off while trying not to wince. Though, there was no real point in trying to hide any injuries, but there was not much point in talking about them either. "What about you though?"

Again, they knew if the other was injured, but Pyra did have quite the scare just now, and not because their lives were linked.

"I'm fine. You just scared me a bit there."

_A bit?_

"Sorry," Rex grimaced, "I guess I should be more careful in the future."

Pyra giggled softly, "Or maybe you could pick a less monster-infested path for our next walk." Pyra froze, "That is, if you want to go on another walk. I'd understand if you didn't after this."

_Smooth._

"Huh?" Rex looked at Pyra in confusion, "Of course I'd want to go on more walks with you. It's not your fault we got attacked by monsters or that I was reckless. Besides, you really saved my bacon back there. Which was amazing by the way. I didn't even know you could do that!"

"I, uh, neither did I actually," Pyra had not been aware of blocking Mythra or how she did all that she did, she just did it.

"Well, you were great," Rex said with the slightest of blushes, "You really don't give yourself enough credit."

Mythra silently agreed with that assessment, but they seemed close to having a moment so she kept silent.

"If you say so," Pyra rubbed her arms before helping Rex back to the city. They did not talk much on the way back, but they were both blushing from the proximity.

_Pyra?_

_ What is it?_

_ After we get back, I think we need to have a talk._

_ W-what about?_

_ About how we're going to manage you being in a relationship with Rex._

"What?" Pyra exclaimed and accidently let go of Rex sending him face first into the snow, "I'm sorry!" Pyra quickly helped her driver up.

"It's fine," He dusted himself off, "What spooked ya though?"

"A-ah, never mind. Just some...personal talk with Mythra."

"Huh, alright then," Deciding it best not to pry, Rex silently resumed trekking back up the snowy incline toward the city.

_Oh, stop laughing!_ Pyra scolded.

_Sorry, but this is something we need to address._

_ W-what makes you think…_ Pyra knew better than to deny her feelings to Mythra of all people, _Okay, I love him, but what makes you think he feels the same?_

_ Because I'm not blind? Really, you two are pretty obvious._

_ We are? _Pyra was mortified by this revelation.

_Yes, you are. However, there still comes the issue of us sharing a body. I'm all for you two getting together. You deserve each other, but we need to work out some ground rules. _

_ O-okay, but...I would rather not bring this up until after we stop Malos. We don't know what will happen after all._

_ For a fire blade, you really have cold feet. Oh well, that's fine. It'll give us more time to work things out._

_ Alright, and Mythra?_

_ Yeah?_

_ Thank you for being a good sister._

Mythra was not sure what to say to that. She was touched, and let out a small smile. Still, she stuck with an in-character, _I am pretty great, aren't I?_

**A/N: Apologies for this taking so long. That said, I am kind of running out of material for this so the next one may be the last. Though, I do have something of an idea for a NG+ story where, they lose, but Pythra sends Rex's consciousness back in time to his younger self. The ripple effects could result in a drastically different story.**

**I also beat all the superbosses. At least, I think I got all eight. Either way, most actually weren't that much of an issue. Though, I think I did take out the robot one with a clutch/desperation chain attack with only two orbs. With that, there isn't a whole lot left for me to do it seems. I'm only missing one non-DLC/NG+ rare blade. I could do blade quests I guess, but I'll probably end up getting the DLC for Christmas though.**

**Also, is it ever specifically stated that Mythra intentionally wanted Pyra to be her ideal self? If it is, I haven't seen it. It's also a bit odd how many still seem to consider them the same person despite the ending literally giving them separate bodies. **


	8. Chapter 8

Pyra awoke in the familiar lush environment of Elysium. It struck a significant dissonance with the desolation that they had discovered at the real one. Pyra struggled to remember what had happened. It did not help that she and Mythra had been combined for so long leading up to whatever had led her to this place once again.

Then she remembered. She and Mythra had sacrificed themselves for the sake of the world. Just as she had found purpose as well. Despite being merged at the time, Rex's grief and heartbreak was extremely vivid in her mind. She had hurt him just like she feared she would. He had been devastated, but he would press onward. She knew it. He was strong. Stronger than he believed. He did not need her anymore.

Pyra sat up and looked around. There, at that all too familiar tree stood Mythra looking over the horizon. Pulling herself up, the fire blade approached her sister. As she climbed the hill, she heard that familiar bell chiming away in the distance.

"We did it," Mythra spoke after Pyra reached her, "We saved the world."

"Are we…"

"Lost among the debris of the station. We're in orbit…for now, but we'll be flung into deep space before long. Not that it matters. Without our core crystal, I can't live for long."

"Rex…" Pyra thought back to the boy who held her heart.

"Yeah, Rex," Mythra finally turned to face Pyra, "You love him, right?"

"I do," Pyra said without hesitation, "More than anything, but what does…"

"I can send you back to him."

"How?" Pyra asked in confusion.

"I'll send you back to our core crystal. We're different from normal blades. We still need the crystal for continued survival, but we can separate from it as we have. So long as your consciousness can return to it, it can produce another body."

"What about our memories?"

"They should remain. You will never cease to be, you will simply be given a new body."

"That's wonderful!" Pyra cheered, "We'll be back with the others in no time." Mythra shied away from her sister's exuberance and clutched her arm. It was this reaction which made Pyra realize that Mythra had not been speaking in plural when talking about her plan.

"We…are both going…right?"

"There's…only enough power to send one of us."

"Wha-then it should be you! You're the stronger one. The world needs you more than me."

"I'm not so sure about that," Mythra smiled melencholingly, "You've surpassed your limits, Pyra. You've proven to me that you're ready to wield my power. It won't be as much as our combined form, but it should still pack a punch."

"Wait! Surely there's another way!"

Mythra shook her head, "I'm afraid not. Don't worry. I trust you. You have more reason to live anyway. He's waiting for you. You can be happy together like you both deserve."

"But...he'll be sad about you too!" Pyra pleaded with her sister desperate for any way to make her reconsider.

"But not like you. There's a reason he called out for you at the end."

"But-" Pyra moved forward, but Mythra stopped her with a tap on her forehead. She would not be blocking her today. Mythra grabbed her sister as she collapsed onto her arms.

"You better take care of her Rex," Mythra spoke gently, "I know she'll take care of you. You'll be happy together. I know it. Heh, I know you doubted yourself, Rex, but you really were the perfect driver for us. You surpassed Addam's shadow. Not an easy thing to do. I'm sure he would be proud. Of both of us."

Mythra gave her sister one last fond look, "I wish we had more time. Ironic, isn't it? Well, just be sure to have a long and happy life. You deserve it."

With a wave of her hand, Mythra sent Pyra away hurtling back toward the planet and their-her core crystal.

"Good-bye, Pyra."

* * *

Rex and the others had made landfall when Pyra's core crystal started to glow again. Rex stared at it in disbelief for a few moments before moving to awaken it. Not that he needed to as it had been set to automatically awaken.

In a flash of light, the crystal went to work forming a new body for Pyra. When the light was gone, she stood in front of them with her eyes closed. However, before anyone could approach her, her eyes shot open.

"Mythra!" Pyra looked around herself in a panic.

"Pyra?" Rex asked in confused concern.

"Mythra, she's…" Pyra froze as the realization finally started to hit her, "She's…gone."

"What?" Rex held her by her shoulders to help calm her down, "What do you mean she's gone?"

"She...there was only enough power to send one of us. She sacrificed herself for me, Rex," Pyra broke down in his arms leaving the young man to struggle to comfort her while the others watched on silently. No one knew what to say.

"Don't cry, Pyra," Rex patted her back, "Mythra wouldn't want that, would she?"

Rex proceeded to hold her for several more minutes as they both worked out their emotions. Rex was dealing a mix of emotions. Jubilation at having Pyra back, sorrow at having lost Mythra, and...perhaps some guilt that at how relieved he was it was Pyra who came back. The latter was unbidden, but it was there, albeit buried. He would deal with that later, right now, he had more pressing matters.

"Thank you, Rex," Pyra wiped her tears away with one last sniffle, "You're right. Mythra wouldn't want me to waste my time crying." Pyra forced a smile, "I'll do her proud and protect…" Pyra looked around, "Where are we?"

The party explained as best they could before realization dawned on Pyra. This had been her father's plan all along. This was what he had meant. All this land. Enough to fit the entire population of Alrest several times over. She just wished Mythra could have seen it.

She looked down as she felt Rex take her hand in his. She gave him a soft smile before turning her gaze back to the sunset. It really was beautiful how it reflected off the water. Silently, Pyra vowed to defend this new world. Giving Rex's hand a slight squeeze, she also vowed to live a happy life with the man she loved. She would not waste her life.

**A/N: Don't hate me! I am not actually one of those who thinks they should have died. I actually like how it ended, and it really pushed home that they are separate individuals despite what some people seem to continue to think. That said, I thought up this idea and decided to close out with it.**

**Also, despite the former description, it seems this story really ended up focusing on Pyra and Mythra's sisterly relationship. **


End file.
